GLOVERSVILLE — The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on redevelopment plans for Parkhurst Field today at 7 p.m. during the regular meeting at City Hall.
Redevelopment plans for Parkhurst Field were prepared by C. T. Male Associates, at the direction of the Parkhurst Field Foundation with the permission and approval of Gloversville Little League, which owns the property.
The 9.6 acre property currently consists of three baseball fields, two T-ball fields, one softball field and several smaller fields. Redevelopment plans call for the construction of four new regulation baseball diamonds, a stadium, clubhouse, pavilion, batting cages, dugouts, storage area and spectator seating. The existing softball field will remain in its current location and the two T-ball fields will be reconfigured.
Included among the five regulation baseball fields, will be the premier field featuring a grandstand with seating for about 475 spectators. The field will be constructed on the original 1906 home plate location of A.,J.&G. Park.
Plans for the redevelopment of Parkhurst Field seek to preserve and promote the history of the ballpark, which is the oldest site in use by a Little League and is considered the only remaining field in existence where Archibald Wright “Moonlight Doc” Graham played.
Graham played professional minor league baseball for several years during the early 1900’s while juggling medical school and residencies and famously played just half an inning in the major leagues for the New York Giants. Graham was featured as a character in the film “Field of Dreams” and played seven documented games at Parkhurst Field in 1906 and 1907.
The Parkhurst Field Foundation was formed to document the field’s history while securing grants, fundraising and donations to redevelop the park as a baseball destination for continued use and ownership by Gloversville Little League and to host other events including traveling Little League games during the home league’s off-season.
The Parkhurst Field Foundation and Gloversville Little League have a 50 year lease agreement allowing the foundation to use the field during the off-season, with revenue sharing to the league. The agreement includes an auto-renewal clause and the league cannot sell the property to an entity other than the foundation once the proposed development to be funded by the foundation is complete.
The project is seen by the foundation and Fulton County officials as a potential economic development driver for the area.
The redevelopment will be performed in three phases with three fields due to be constructed at the northern end of the site along Industrial Parkway with walkway access and a T-ball field at the southern end during phase one.
Phase two will include the construction of the premier field along with the grandstand, restrooms, concession stand, the second T-ball field and new parking areas will be created with access from Harrison Street and Industrial Parkway.
The second phase will also include stormwater management measures through the use of bioretention areas that hold up to six inches of water that is retained, treated and slowly released as runoff in accordance with state Department of Environmental Conservation requirements. This measure is expected to reduce the rate of site runoff below the current output.
Phase three of the project will involve landscaping and the construction of batting cages and field lighting.
The completed project will include 115 parking spaces at the field and the foundation plans to obtain a note from the city granting Parkhurst Field permission to use the 11 parking spaces across the street at the Rail Trail as needed.
The combined 126 parking spaces are expected to accommodate peak park use with the maximum number of games in play under average attendance.
The public hearing on redevelopment plans for Parkhurst Field will be held today at 7 p.m. during the Planning Board meeting at City Hall.
